


Never Let Me Go

by Niori



Series: Ceremonials [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Community: norsekink, F/M, Family Feels, Father-Daughter Relationship, Feels, Pepper is Hela, Tony is Awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-17 08:27:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2303132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niori/pseuds/Niori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hela and Loki met each other face to face for the first time in three hundred years, he was still blue and she was still half dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Let Me Go

**Author's Note:**

> Well, ask and you shall receive. Despite the fact that I have two series already running that I need to update, I've given Seven Devils a sequel and decided to make it a series. Because apparently I can't control myself. 
> 
> Enjoy.

Never Let Me Go

When Hela and Loki met each other face to face for the first time in three hundred years, he was still blue and she was still half dead. The god appeared out of nowhere, just emerged from a puff of smoke in the middle of their Malibu home. Instinct made Tony start to react, to go for his suit, but the look on Pepper's face -longing, relief, sheer unadulterated love- stopped him. There was barely any hesitation when Pepper jumped to her feet, ran to Loki and threw herself into his arms. 

He held her for a long time, and Tony was struck at just how much of a little girl who needed her dad Pepper looked. Tony didn't like it, because he'd never seen her look so vulnerable before. Even when she sat locked in the Hulk cage, cover blown and future uncertain, she had looked fierce and looked ready for a fight. 

Loki whispered something to her that Tony couldn't hear, and Pepper started to cry. Tony faltered, hating that she was crying and there was no way for him to help her. It didn't take long for it to become really awkward to witness, and Tony wished he could just leave until it was over. There was no way in hell he was going to leave them alone. Loving father or not, Loki still hadn't proven himself as anything more than a supervillain. Tony wasn't going to leave a batshit insane, wannabe god alone with the woman he loved. Finally, Loki pulled back and just looked at Pepper, and then wiped the tears off her face. Pepper smiled, though it was a watery one. 

"Hold still," Loki commanded gently, holding onto Pepper's hands.

The first thing that happened was a green, pulsating glow formed around Loki's hands. It began to move from there, spreading across Pepper's body. When the light cleared, Pepper was Pepper again.

"Thank you," Pepper whispered it, and it hurt, how relieved she sounded. Tony hated how she felt, how she hadn't even been able to glance at herself in a mirror the two days her disguise had been gone. He hated how she had flinched away from his touch and wouldn't believe him when he told her she was beautiful. Tony hated Asgard for making Pepper feel this way.

"That wasn't your magic," Pepper said, "and neither was what brought you here."

"Victor was kind enough to lend me some of his own. He was quite surprised when I insisted on coming here to use it." 

There were a lot of things Tony could say to that. The first, that it was awfully kind hearted for Loki to help Pepper before himself. There was a snarky comment in there about his heart growing three sizes this day. He avoided that one. Instead, he went for the even more obvious one, "Victor, huh? That sounds oddly personal, especially for Doom. Have something you want to tell us?"

Both Loki and Pepper glared at him, and damn they were identical ones. He could completely see the family resemblance there. He threw up his hands in surrender, singling he'd be quiet...for now. The look on Pepper's face told Tony she didn't believe him. 

Pepper looked back at Loki, and truly looked at him for the first time. Her eyes wandered over what blue she could see - most of it was covered by armour-, finally coming to rest on his face. She reached out to touch, and Loki flinched back. It was the same reaction Pepper had been having the past couple days.

"You were never ashamed of Mother's skin," Pepper said softly, and Loki looked stricken, horrified and ashamed all at once.

It had to be hard, being so warped by people who were supposed to love you. To look back and believe that the mother of your children - the woman you once loved-, was a monster. How much hate had to be thrown at you, for that to happen? Tony couldn't even begin to imagine anything being able to make him feel that way about Pepper. 

Loki steeled himself, "It's not hers that I hate," he replied in a whisper, but he let Pepper touch him. 

"You can't hate yourself without hating her...without hating me."

"I could never hate you!" Loki replied fiercely, and he meant it. 

"I know," Pepper smiled, and she ran her fingers along the raised scars that twisted across Loki's face, "These are royal lines."

"Did Thor not mention that?" Loki laughed darkly, "If one is going to take a political hostage, it needs to be someone of some importance."

Tony decided that he was never going to Asgard. He didn't even like Loki, and he still wanted to punch Odin in the face. 

"I don't want to interrupt," and for once, Tony meant it. He didn't want to take this away from Pepper, "but we have bigger things to worry about. Like the fact that Asgard now knows who Pepper is."

Both of their faces darkened, "How did you escape Shield?" Loki asked.

"I didn't escape. I walked out the door, or at least flew off on a Quinjet. As Phil very patiently explained, I had been doing nothing wrong, thus they had no reason to hold me. When Fury tried to call me on living under a false identity and documents, Phil reminded him of Natalie Rushman. They had to let me out."

"I'm going to have to apologize for stabbing him," Loki commented, "What about Thor? He would not have just let you go."

"Bruce hulked out and used him like a rag doll," Another thing Tony had on tape. Maybe if Loki was good, he'd let him watch it, "I think you know what I mean."

Loki's smirk was a vicious, delighted and half mad thing, "Oh yes, I do. Then a number of your Avengers will side with Hela then." 

Loki sounded relieved, and Tony was once again reminded that literally no one besides his second wife had ever been on his kids' side. Tony didn't want to pity Loki, but damn if it wasn't impossible. 

"And Shield will get on board once their PR machine gets on the news and tells the world how we can't hold children accountable for the sins of their fathers. Direct quote, by the way. God bless America."

"The Captain remains a pillar of righteousness," there wasn't even a hint of sarcasm in Loki's voice. Then, he turned back to Pepper, "Is this what you wish? For all of Midgard to know?"

She and Tony had talked about it for two days. They had gone over the pros and cons, and for once, he hadn't tried to sway her. He had kept his own opinion out of it, because this was something Pepper had to figure out on her own. For once, Pepper had to be the author of her own fate.

"Yes," Pepper said, decision already made, "the only thing that's going to keep Asgard from coming for me is public opinion. Odin isn't going to pick a fight with Midgard, not over me. Plus, if he sends someone after me but seems completely willing to leave you here, it will make a lot of people question having Asgard as an ally." 

"You are well loved in this realm," Loki agreed, "they will be slow to forget that. There will be those who call for your head," Loki warned her.

"Well, it's a good thing you taught me to survive decapitation," Tony choked, and Pepper grinned wickedly at him. She then continued, "I'm not going to let Asgard or Midgard make a victim anymore."

Loki smiled at Pepper with pride, "Odin will not know what hit him, if he tries to take you away again."

"Which brings us to another thing," Tony interrupted, "you," Loki raised his eyebrows, and the bastard looked amused, "You are a psychopath who has tried to take over my planet, kill me and my friends, and murdered people. You are a bad guy, and I'm going to make sure you rot in jail for the rest of your long life. The fact that you're Pepper's dad doesn't change that. The fact that you're going to help protect her doesn't even change it. This right here," he gestured around them, "is a one time deal. This is because Pepper needed her dad, needed you on board with her plan. This is your one freebie. After you leave here today, I'm going to take you down."

Tony didn't look at Pepper when he said it, even though he knew that she understood. It was one thing they hadn't discussed directly, but they both knew it was the way it had to be. There was no way around it, but that didn't mean Tony wanted to see Pepper's face when he said it out loud. 

Loki looked over him, running a critical eye over him. Tony felt like he was being examined under a microscope, but he refused to fidget under it. Finally, Loki looked back at Pepper, "He'll do."

Tony thought that he had just gotten Loki's permission to date his daughter. It was the strangest thing that had happened over the last two days. So was the twisted sense of pride he felt over it.

Pepper laughed -still rough, heavy with held back tears- and looked at him. Her eyes were full of love, of adoration, that mirrored all he felt for her, "Yes, he will."

"Now, what is it you plan to do?"


End file.
